Recipe Types: Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Main Dish, Side Dish, Soup, Vegan, Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 1 medium butternut squash (about 2½ pounds)
- 1 tbs extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 large shallot, diced
- 1 small cayenne or guajillo pepper
- ½ tsp sea salt
- ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 2 cups homemade or no-salt-added chicken or vegetable broth
- ½ cup milk, or unsweetened plain almond, soy or rice milk (optional, for added creaminess)
- 2 cloves garlic, put through a garlic press
- ⅛ tsp allspice
- ⅛ tsp nutmeg
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Oil a 9-by-13-inch glass or ceramic baking dish with nonstick cooking oil spray.
- Cut the squash in half lengthwise, scoop out seeds, and place face-down in the prepared baking dish and bake for 1 hour, until the flesh can be easily scooped out with a spoon.
- Heat the 1 tablespoon of oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the shallot, hot pepper, salt and pepper, and cook for a few minutes, stirring frequently, until the shallot softens.
- Use a large spoon to scoop out the squash flesh and add it to the pot, along with the broth and the almond, soy or rice milk, if using. Bring to a boil and cook for 5 minutes. Add the garlic, allspice and nutmeg. Remove the pot from the heat and allow the soup to cool.
- Transfer half or all of the soup to a food processor or blender (blending less soup will leave it thicker) and puree until smooth. Add blended soup back with remaining soup and stir.
- Serve immediately